May Astronomy Events: May 1, 2, 12, and 25
Caltech Astro Outreach
We have a number of astronomy outreach events over the next few weeks (including tonight!), which are listed below. As always, these events are free and open to all, no reservations necessary. For more information about these events, including directions, please visit our Caltech Astro Outreach website.
Thursday, May 1 (TONIGHT) @ 8:00PM
Altadena Stargazing Night
Gwinn Park, Pasadena
On Thursday May 1st, Caltech Astro will be hosting a special stargazing event for the community of Altadena. Astronomers and telescopes will be present to provide attendees with a guided view of the sky, featuring views of Jupiter, Mars, the Moon, as well as galaxies, star clusters, and nebulae. Professional astronomers will be on hand to answer your questions about astronomy, physics, and space. There will also be NASA swag available to take home, including images from the Hubble Space Telescope. This event is a collaboration between Caltech, Carnegie Observatories, Mt. Wilson Observatory, and the LA Astronomical Society.
The event will be free and open to all. Drop in any time between 8 and 10PM for a peek through our telescopes. Event will take place at Gwinn Park in East Pasadena (Directions), just a couple minutes off of I-210. Free street parking is available around the park. For more information about the event as well as a map, see our website.
Friday, May 2 @ 8:00PM
Stargazing Lecture
Cahill Center for Astrophysics, Caltech Campus
Evan Haze Nuñez, Caltech
YouTube Livestream Link
Galaxies are collections of gas, stars, and dark matter held together by gravity. But how do galaxies, like our own Milky Way, change over their lives? Join us for a 30-minute lecture about galaxy evolution, followed by a panel Q&A consisting of several astrophysicists to answer your questions about astronomy and space science. Event will be held both in-person as well as live-streamed on YouTube Live.
"Galaxies are collections of gas, stars, and dark matter held together by gravity. Much like humans, galaxies grow and change over their lives, which span billions of years. One major way that galaxies can change is by forming new generations of stars from collapsed clouds of gas. Thus, to understand the life and evolution of a galaxy, we must fully account for all of its gas. This includes both gas (1) inside the galaxy where stars form and live, and (2) outside of the galaxy, in a sort of atmosphere surrounding the galaxy. But like the Earth's atmosphere, galactic atmospheres are nearly invisible and difficult to detect. In this talk, I will summarize our understanding of how galaxies evolve over their lives, and new observations that indicate the presence and importance of a galaxy's atmosphere."
Monday, May 12 @ 7:30PM
Astronomy on Tap
How to Catch a Dark Matter Clump (Without Ever Seeing It) (Ana Bonaca)
Gravitational-Wave Astronomy: Listening to the Dark Side of the Universe (Gabriele Vajente)
Dog Haus Biergarten, Pasadena
Join us at 7:30PM PDT, Monday, May 12th for Astronomy on Tap hosted at the outdoor Dog Haus Biergarten in Old Town Pasadena. We’ll hear from Carnegie Observatories Research Scientist Ana Bonaca presenting: “How to Catch a Dark Matter Clump (Without Ever Seeing It),” and LIGO Laboratories Deputy Head of System Science and Engineering Gabriele Vajente discussing: “Gravitational-Wave Astronomy: Listening to the Dark Side of the Universe.” We'll host two ~20 minute talks, Q&A, and then follow it up with interactive, astronomical pub trivia, live rock music, and guided stargazing with telescopes! Despite occurring at an outdoor bar/restaurant, these events are open to all ages and free to all, no reservations needed.
Sunday, May 25 @ 10:00AM
Space Ride
as part of the Pasadena Bike Month
Join us for a bike ride to learn about space exploration, astronomy, and astrophysics! The ride features four Pasadena institutions that have made significant contributions to science and space exploration. We will stop at Caltech, The Planetary Society, the Carnegie Science Observatories, and an overlook of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Each destination will feature a talk about the institution and the contributions made there.
Meet at Caltech’s Bechtel Mall north of the Seeley W. Mudd Laboratory of the Geological Sciences (see pin on map) at 10 am. We encourage you to ride to the event start location. If you are driving to the event you can park along Wilson Ave or at Caltech’s South Wilson Parking structure.
The ride is about 14 miles with 500-600 ft of elevation. This is a family-friendly event. Kids are welcome as long as they can ride a bike without training wheels and maintain a social pace around 10 MPH. No one will be dropped.
This event is free for all participants. RSVP's are required as we need a good head-count and space is limited. All participants should bring a bike in good working order (e-bikes are welcome). For more information and to RSVP (limited free tickets available), visit eventbrite.
Recent lectures and Astronomy on Tap events have been recorded. Check them out on our Caltech Astro YouTube channel. Please see our website for photos of past events, directions, and more information: http://outreach.astro.caltech.edu .
Cameron